Real Madrid hand out Christmas gifts to both-sides-to-score bettors

The bet of the season so far – besides Tottenham to win 1-0 – is turning out to be betting on both sides to score whenever Real Madrid take to the field.

Against Rayo Vallecano in their most recent fixture they cruised to a 3-0 lead thanks to two assists from Gareth Bale, the luxury purchase who was supposed to make them nigh- on unbeatable.

Unfortunately the architects of “fortress” Madrid forgot to order up a nice solid door, and opponents of the great team have been helping themselves to goals at will.

Madrid have now shipped seven goals in the last three games, and both-sides-to-score punters have cashed in nine of their 12 league games, not to mention two of their three Champions League games.

Their next league games are at home to Real Sociedad and Valladolid, and away to Almeria and Osasuna, modest teams all, and against whom the both-teams-to-score odds will likely be reasonably succulent.

Added to the “defensive disaster”, as Ancelotti described the Rayo debacle, is the fact that Madrid have run out of injury excuses.

Normal service was supposed to resume in Vallecas, with the return of Xabi Alonso after a long injury lay-off, but humble Rayo, a team with both the worst attack and defence in La Liga, still managed to plunder two goals for the first time this season, gifted to them by comedy penalties.

Were it not for an unfortunate disallowed goal and a raft of missed chances Rayo could have won.

Real Madrid also travel to Juventus this week, where the both teams to score market is 1/2. Juventus have only kept two clean sheets in five games at home in Serie A this season, and one clean sheet in five against teams in the top half of the table.

If you think the defensive headaches for either side are about to vanish, then there are some terrific prices available on the clean sheet: Juventus are 16/5, Madrid an even more embarrassing 18/5.

Real Madrid are 9/2 to win La Liga – a terrific price if they can find their defence in time.